


Suggestions

by totalnerdatheart



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: 5 + 1, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Dog BB-8, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-20
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-06-09 13:51:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6909976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/totalnerdatheart/pseuds/totalnerdatheart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Uh, hi.” Ben says, crouching down to the beagle, reaching out his hand so the dog can sniff at it gently. “You should probably be with your owner, it's a scary place out here for a little guy like you.” </p>
<p>“You should probably be wearing shoes,” An amused sounding voice informs Ben behind him, and he turns around at the unexpected sound. “It’s like forty degrees out.” </p>
<p>or</p>
<p>five times Poe gives Ben a helpful suggestion and the one time Ben returns the favor</p>
            </blockquote>





	Suggestions

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Themes_of_November](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Themes_of_November/gifts).



**1**

 

It wasn’t rare for Ben to be out late at night walking, it was one of the few ways he could clear his head. His mother had always commented  that he’d always been a night owl, and the irony of the fact that he had to be to work in just a few hours to start his new job at the coffee shop did not escape him.

 

The night air was slightly chilly, showing the start of fall, and the leaves were just starting to get that yellow tint to them that only meant that soon the town where he went to University would be filled with tourists and his job would probably get too hectic for him to handle. He was going to enjoy all the alone time he could get while he still had it. 

 

Ben got lost in his thoughts for a bit, but a rustling sound to his left had him come to full awareness instantly, and he turned ready to face his potential attacker. 

 

His potential attacker who happened to be a small dog with a very bright orange collar.

 

“Uh, hi.” Ben says, crouching down to the beagle, reaching out his hand so the dog can sniff at it gently. “You should probably be with your owner, it's a scary place out here for a little guy like you.” 

 

“You should probably be wearing shoes,” An amused sounding voice informs Ben behind him, and he turns around at the unexpected sound. “It’s like forty degrees out.” The man looks down at Ben’s bare feet and then goes over and clicks the a bright orange leash to the puppy, which could only be his by the way the collar matches the leash so well. 

 

“I’m probably not going to take any advice from someone who lost their dog so easily,” Ben tells the other man, which only makes the stranger laugh. He’s a handsome individual, and his laughter is infectious, making Ben smile along with the man’s laugh. “I promise I’ll wear shoes next time though if that will help you sleep at night.” 

 

“People having warm feet is a comfort to me yes,” The man responds easily, never missing a beat with the banter. He gives Ben a genuine smile before reaching out a hand. “I’m Poe.” 

 

“Ben,” He takes the offered hand and shakes it, responding with his own rarely given smile. “Thanks for the advise.” 

 

“I’m a man with a lot of wisdom to give.” Poe says, and opens his mouth to say something else but then his phone starts ringing, the song Danger Zone, playing loudly in the quiet night. “Sorry just -” Poe picks up his phone and Ben tries not to eavesdrop but he catches the words “emergency” and “quickly” and figures that his night with Poe is just about to end as quickly as it began. 

 

Poe hangs up his phone quickly and offers Ben an apologetic look. “Sorry I have to-”    
  
“It’s alright.” Ben interrupts, hoping he didn’t let on to the fact that he was a little sad. 

 

“I’ll see you around Ben.” Poe says, lifting his dog and jogs away, leaving Ben alone with his thoughts once again. 

 

**2**

 

It’s been three weeks at his new job at Starkiller Coffee and Ben doesn’t necessarily hate his job, but it's sometimes hard to deal with people on three hours of sleep telling you that their coffee needs to be made a certain way or they will threaten to tell on you to the manager. Thankfully Ben’s boss had caught on to his growing annoyance and assigned him to clean up the large chalkboard on the back and to write on the new special. 

 

Ben had tried to get out of it at first by saying he had no artistic skills but Phasma had just reminded him that she’s caught him doodling several times now and that “anything could be better than Hux’s horrible quote of the day.”

 

So this was how Ben found himself still scrubbing the chalkboard wall near the end of his shift and still finding that he just wasn’t getting the job done. 

 

“Have you tried coke?” A familiar voice asks from below and Ben looks down from his spot on his latter to see Poe looking up at him with a bottle of said coke. “I couldn’t help but notice you struggling from across the cafe, and while swearing at the wall is a little bit funny, people are going to start thinking you’re going insane.” 

 

“I work here, how can I not be a little crazy?” Ben responds and takes the offered coke, shrugging before pouring a little bit on the sponge he was using and wiped it across the wall, taking off most of the stubborn chalk dust with a single wipe. “Okay, this works. Where did you learn to do this?” Ben asks. 

 

“The house I live in has a chalkboard wall and we take turns cleaning it.” Poe says. “You learn to clean up all sorts of things when you live in a house full of future pilots.”

 

“You’re a pilot?” Ben asks, genuinely interested in Poe, not that he would ever admit it.

 

“One of the best damn pilots you’ll ever meet. I can pretty much fly anything.” Poe responds, grinning widely as he leans against the other side of the ladder. 

 

“You’re so humble,” Ben says, aware that he’s probably blushing just a little. It feels like Poe might be flirting with him a bit, but he’s heard about Poe Dameron while he’s started his job and there was no way that one of the most popular and well loved student on campus would ever want to date someone like Ben. “Thanks for the advise though.” 

 

Poe smiles and Ben feels like his heart is fluttering at how bright and genuine it is. 

 

He has a crush on the most popular guy in school. 

 

Ben feels like he’s 13 all over again. 

 

**3**

 

“We’ve been friends for a few months now and I didn’t know you did fencing till now? And you’re amazing at it?” Poe asks as he walks besides Ben on their way back from his practice. “I feel like this is something I should have known about you.” 

 

“It’s really not that big of a deal,” Ben says, ducking his head down so Poe can’ see his blush. “Fencing is something I picked up as a kid and just kept up with, it's not like it's ever going to get me anywhere.” 

 

“Hey,” Poe says, and stops Ben with a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You should be proud of yourself.” 

 

Ben stares a bit at Poe, not quite sure how to respond to just how absolutely sure Poe sounded at that moment. Like he actually believed in Ben.

 

He swallows and looks away from Poe, mumbling something about how he’ll do his best. Ben is very much aware that he practically runs away from Poe, but he’s getting choked up on his emotions and he can already tell that if he doesn’t get away from things that he’d just embarrassed himself in front of Poe further. 

 

Normally he would have gone straight to his dorm, but Ben kept walking long past where he lived currently and headed to the home he grew up in. Having forgotten his key Ben knocks on the door and soon the door is opened up by his younger cousin who looked annoyed to having been woken up at such an odd hour. 

 

“You okay Ben?” Rey asks, her eyes going from annoyed to concerned. 

 

“Not really, no.” Ben says and Rey nods her head, already aware of Ben’s anxiety issues having grown up with him. “Can we just - can we do something?”

 

“Yeah we can do something.” Rey says smiling, and stands aside to let Ben into the house, shutting the door softly behind her as to not wake up anyone else. “We’re going to have to do something with Finn though.” 

 

“That’s alright.” Ben says and Rey stops their descent to the downstairs den to give Ben a brief hug. “Beating your boyfriend at video games always makes me feel better.”

 

**4**

 

“Remind me again why exactly you’re going to school for computer science of all things when you hate it?” Poe asks, sliding a coffee over Ben’s way. Ben takes a break from looking at his textbook to take a sip, it's not as strong as Starkiller’s coffee, but it's bitter and it’s helping keep Ben awake long enough so he can pass his final. 

 

“My parents wanted me to go to school for something practical,” Ben explains, his voice a little bitter. “My dad wants me to get through college and when the mayor of the city is your mother it's kind of expected for you to go to University.”

 

“I’ve seen you fense Ben, you should be doing that it makes you happy.” Poe says, and Ben rolls his eyes at the familiar argument between the two of them. 

 

“Unless you can see me as a teacher? I don’t really see a future in fencing.” Ben say, feeling like a broken record player. “I’ll get my degree and get a job that pays well. It’s sensible.” 

 

“Sensible isn’t very fun though,” Poe says and Ben just sighs. He has too much on his plate with finals to try and reason with Poe again. “You’re great at other things though, you’re art on the Starkiller wall is literally the reason why some people even go there.” 

 

“It’s not that great.” Ben mumbles, shutting his book to give Poe an expression that he hopes will stop this conversation. “I really wish you wouldn’t have found out that those were done by me.” 

 

“Next time don’t have such a shitty pen name and maybe I won’t,” Poe shoots back, leaning forward in his chair. They’re close enough together that Ben can appreciate the full warmness of Poe’s dark eyes. “You could draw comics or something. Anything that doesn’t make you so miserable, and Rey totally agrees with me too. Finn as well I imagine.” 

 

“All three of you are delusional. Even if I did decide to change majors? Do you know how hard the program is to get into?” Ben throws back, feeling himself get more agitated. “I don’t understand why you care so much.” 

 

“Because we’re friends,” Poe says back with no hesitation. “Friends want to see each other be happy.” 

 

“Friends also know when to drop the fucking subject.” Ben says, slamming his book and standing up to his full height. He’s looming over Poe know, taking advantage of his full height. “Stop acting like you care about me Dameron.” 

 

“Ben -” Poe stands up and grabs at his arm but Ben just shrugs it off and turns around to walk away.

 

He doesn’t look back because he already knows Poe isn’t following him. 

 

**5**

 

He’s standing in front of Poe’s apartment door and he feels completely ridiculous. Ben can’t stop fidgeting with the small box in his hands - an apology gift full of organic dog treats for Poe, and no matter what he does, he can’t find the courage to just ring the doorbell and talk to Poe. 

 

It’s come to the point where Ben is aware that his feelings for Poe have long gone past friendship and the reason that he’s been avoiding Poe is because he just doesn’t want to really deal with his own emotions. He’s never really liked anyone as much as he’s liked Poe, and if he looks at Poe the way Rey looks at Finn, he’s pretty sure that Poe is probably aware of his feelings for now. 

 

Ben lifts his hand to knock on the door, but then takes it back down again and runs his hand through his hair, tugging at the ends in frustration. He’s going through all the reasons why he should walk away when his phone buzzes in his pocket. Ben looks to see that its Poe and he answers right away. 

 

“I’m sorry.” Ben blurts out on the phone and he looks up the side of the building to see Poe through his apartment window. 

 

“ _ I know, _ ” Poe says, and he sounds tired and that just makes Ben’s guilt worsen. “ _ Want to come up and talk about it? BB misses you. _ ”

 

“I miss BB too,” Ben says and he can’t make out Poe’s expression but he can bet that Poe is smiling one of his soft smiles that makes Ben want to sketch. “I’m sorry.” He says again, because he needs to say it. 

 

“ _ Just come on up Ben. _ ” 

 

**+1**

 

“Turn to the right a little more,” Ben says and Poe huffs and turns his head to the side. “Perfect.” His hand moves up to start shading in Poe’s features with the chalk. It’s after hours and Ben had snuck Poe in after Starkiller was closed so he could model him for his final.

 

“Every side of me is perfect I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Poe says back, turning his head again on purpose so Ben would have to tell him to move it back. Poe has told Ben before that he enjoys being his model because he likes it when Ben gets chalk all over his fingers. Claiming it was the whole reason he had gotten black silk sheets in the first place. “I can’t wait to see your boss’s expression when he sees my beautiful body on his wall.” 

 

“He’s going to be jealous that you’re my boyfriend.” Ben says, smiling around the label, still getting used to the fact that he and Poe were in fact dating even though it's been several months already. 

 

“Why can’t this be a naked portrait again?” Poe asks, cocking an eyebrow to the side.

 

“Because that's for my own private collection.” Ben responds and that just makes Poe smile and get up from his chair to walk towards where Ben is standing at the wall. “Also I’m pretty sure Phasma would fire me.” 

  
“I’d take care of you, you could be my trophy artist boyfriend.” Poe says, leaning up for a kiss and Ben meets him halfway, wrapping his hands around Poe’s torso and leaving behind white streaks of chalk dust in his wake. 


End file.
